Why Should Celebrating Idhul Fitri on different date?

Indonesian Muslims may end the Ramadan fasting month and celebrate Idul Fitri festivities on different days, due to their distinct methods in determining the holiday date.

Muhammadiyah, the country’s second largest Muslim organization, has set Sunday (Sept. 20) as this year’s Idul Fitri date based on its own astronomical calculations, called hisab.

Meanwhile, the government calendar shows that Idul Fitri falls on Monday (Sept. 21).

However, the Religious Affairs Ministry will host a meeting on Saturday with mainstream Islamic groups, including Muhammadiyah and Nahdlatul Ulama (NU) — the largest Muslim organization in Indonesia, to determine whether the end of Ramadan will on that day or Sunday.

The meeting, to be led by the religious affairs minister, will follow the deployment of teams from
NU and other major groups to several parts across the country for moon sightings (rukyah) on Saturday afternoon.

Should most of the teams see the new moon that afternoon, the meeting will normally set Saturday as the end of Ramadan. But if not, the forum will instruct Muslims to continue fasting until Sunday and begin Idul Fitri a day later.

However, according to hisab astronomical calculations conducted by the South Sumatra religious affairs office, Idul Fitri may begin on Sunday.